This press
release announces that Ken Kutaragi will retire from his post as CEO of Sony
Computer Entertainment effective June 19, 2007, to be replaced by president and
COO Kazuo Hirai (thanks
Kotaku). Kutaragi, known as the father of the PlayStation, will then serve as SCEI's Honorary Chairman and as an advisor to Sony chairman Sir
Howard Stringer. Here's a bit:

Mr. Kutaragi, well known as the “Father of
PlayStation”, invented and launched the original PlayStation in 1994 and its
successor, PlayStation 2, in 2000. Since the introduction of PlayStation and
subsequently PlayStation 2, these platforms opened up a vast market of computer
entertainment. The two platforms combined now have an installed base of more
than 200 million units in homes around the world, with more than 2 billion units
of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 software titles shipped worldwide. The third
generation of the company’s home computer entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3,
launched in November 2006 in Japan and North America and in March 2007 in
Europe, will continue to revolutionize the computer entertainment experience
with its immense computational power connected to the network.

After completing the launch of PLAYSTATION 3 worldwide, Mr. Kutaragi has decided
to pursue his dreams beyond PlayStation and to accelerate his network vision.

“I am happy to graduate from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. after introducing
four platforms to the PlayStation family,” said Ken Kutaragi, Chairman and Group
CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “It has been an exciting experience to
change the world of computer entertainment by marrying cutting edge technologies
with creative minds from all over the world. I’m looking forward to building on
this vision in my next endeavors.”